Giveaway Winners – Bain Mousse
When we came across the Melvita Bain Mousse we really liked so much that we wanted to tell you about it, which we did in December. Foam baths give a luxury feel to a hot soak, in fact the bubbles keep in the heat and you experience a turkish bath effect, well nearly! We loved the aroma and the silky effect on our skin.
The Melvita range of products have a good feel about them, especially as they are all natural products with an underlying commitment to non-synthetic, organic ingredients and are not tested on animals.
Melvita is available at various outlets and on line. If you are in the Covent Garden area at all, do visit their shop in Slingsby Street, it’s like an Aladdin’s Cave!
We had two bottles of the Bain Mousse to give away and the winners are: B Shaw of Blackpool and H Forster of Surrey. Congratulations!
We have no doubt we’ll have other Melvita products to give away so keep an eye out for our regular newsletter, or subscribe – see below – and you won’t miss out!
Dental Treatment Abroad
Check out the facts before you check in
A fine set of teeth
With more and more people considering dental treatment abroad, UK dental regulator, the General Dental Council (GDC) has issued guidance and advice to dental patients with a checklist of questions to ask before travelling abroad for treatment.
The aim of the checklist, produced in association with the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), the UK’s leading oral health charity, is to help dental patients make informed decisions about their dental care, wherever they receive treatment.
Duncan Rudkin, Chief Executive and Registrar of the GDC, said: Our job is to protect UK dental patients by making sure all dental professionals practising in the UK are trained appropriately and registered with us. We think it’s important for dental patients – wherever they receive their treatment – to know the questions to ask to ensure they receive the best possible treatment and care, and where they can go if something goes wrong.
That’s why we want to encourage people considering travelling abroad for dental care to ask questions before making a decision about their treatment. Qualifications and standards are likely to differ from country to country, so it’s important that you collect as much information as you can before committing to anything.
Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the BDHF, said: The National Dental Survey 2008 found that 16% of people would be willing to travel abroad for dental treatment and the figure was even higher among the 18 to 30 age group – suggesting the trend will continue.
This document provides members of the public with a very useful starting point on the questions to ask before getting dental treatment abroad.
Styles and standards of dentistry can vary a great deal from one country to another and, if things do go wrong, patients could still be left facing some difficult and potentially expensive decisions.
However by researching their chosen practitioner and asking the right questions they can reduce the chances of encountering potentially avoidable problems further down the line.
A copy of the dental tourism checklist is available on their website, www.gdc-uk.org.
The International Dental Health Foundation, is dedicated to improving the oral health of the public by providing free and impartial dental advice, by running educational campaigns like National Smile Month and by informing and influencing the public, profession and government on issues such as mouth cancer awareness and water fluoridation.
For free and impartial expert advice contact the Dental Helpline on 0845 063 1188 Monday to Friday.
Val Reynolds Brown, Editor
This feature was first published in January 2010
Amalgam tooth fillings – toxicity claims debunked
Heavily filled teeth
For a long time in the alternative health and more recently in the popular health press, concern has been flagged up of the possibility of mercury leaking from tooth filling amalgam. A lot of money can be spent on having fillings removed and replaced by non-toxic amalgams, even going abroad to save money.
So it was interesting to read on the QuackWatch http://www.quackwatch.org/ of reviews that dispute the toxicity claims. I am reproducing it in full:
False dental amalgam toxicity claims slammed again
A study of 56 patients who claimed to have symptoms caused by mercury in their amalgam fillings has found that none of the patients had significant levels of mercury in their blood or urine levels. The researchers noted that 20 of the patients has previously been previously diagnosed with mercury toxicity by “commercial practitioners using unconventional testing panels.” [Eyeson J and others. Relationship between mercury levels in blood and urine and complaints of chronic mercury toxicity from amalgam restorations. British Dental Journal 208(4):E7, 2010]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20186178 A recent review by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs concluded: “Studies continue to support the position that dental amalgam is a safe restorative option for both children and adults. When responding to safety concerns it is important to make the distinction between known and hypothetical risks.” [ADA Council on on Scientific Affairs. Literature review: dental amalgam fillings and health effects on amalgam fillings and health effects. Amalgam Safety Update, Sept 2010]http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/amalgam_literature_review_1009.pdf
During the past few weeks, unjustified scare headlines have been generated by an anti-amalgam campaign that involved testimony at an FDA hearing. In response, Robert S. Baratz, M.D., D.D.S., Ph.D. noted:
“The simple truth is that there is no significant risk because amalgam fillings are safe. . . . The promotion of anti-amalgamism is regularly linked with fringe practitioners, people with financial interests in promoting something else, and pseudoscience. Based on past practices, and rhetoric, I’m one of many who conclude that the anti-amalgamists resemble more a religious cult than a group of serious, objective scientists searching for the truth.” [Baratz RS. More notes on the anti-amalgam movement. Dental Watch, Dec 18, 2010] http://www.dentalwatch.org/hg/hearings/fda(2010).html
Earlier this year we wrote about a checklist of questions to ask before travelling abroad for treatment issued by the General Dental Council, reproduced in this Health section.
Runnymede Spa and Hotel
It was easy to relax and chill out in the darkened room, with soothing music, gentle aromas and competent hands massaging my weary body. It was quite companionable as my colleague was on a treatment couch just a few feet away. We didn’t speak to each other, but it felt good.
I was at the spa in the Runnymede Hotel, Egham and pleasantly surprised at the peace and quiet. Having battled my way through the M25 traffic, actually it wasn’t that bad, with the aid of my trusty SatNav, I welcomed the chance of the Crystals and Champagne spa break after a particularly trying week at work.
A group of six of us were booked into the Aquitaine suite*, with a member of staff assigned to look after us. A completely private area separated from the main spa and gym areas it is only accessible by pass codes. Absolutely ideal for private parties of up to about eight.
With a room for relaxing, tv, massage chair, settees, easy chairs there is an adjoining treatment room for two. A changing area with lockers, two large shower rooms and smaller treatment rooms.
The facilities of the spa upstairs made it possible for us to go off to swim, or gym, so it was seldom that all of us were in the room at the same time. It is possible to have all your meals served in the suite which makes it all the more attractive as a retreat. In fact it would be ideal for a group wanting to spend the time meditating, doing yoga, and simply being quiet as there was absolutely no extraneous sound. However if you chose a break with the overnight stay your room would be in the hotel itself.
The spa section is well laid out, the pool was big and spacious, jacuzzi and eucalyptus steam room, well designed gym and exercise studio. The treatment rooms were high standard. There were very pleasant seated areas for relaxation and a very attractive dining room. The food was excellent, imaginative, well displayed and light.
The Crystal treatment made up of neck, back and shoulders massage using hot stones was done well. We chose the oils that appealed to our sense of smell the most. I chose the one that was intended to invigorate – an excellent choice! The facial was rounded off by the use of cool crystals to give contrast and a stimulus to the lymph system. The final head massage was excellent. Espa products were used throughout. It was good to have a coordinated massage that lasted well over an hour.
There is no doubt Runnymede is a luxury hotel from the moment you step through the revolving door, the decor and facilities are of a very high standard. It’s a family hotel with a few rules to please those of us wanting to be child free. For instance at 12 noon children have to leave the spa. They are then allowed to return between 3 and 5 pm.
The hotel is on the River Thames with spacious terraces for warm weather relaxing and lawns down to the river. A heated outdoor pool is open between April and September.
With easy access from the M25 and Heathrow, it is ideal for the traveller who wants a break between flights, or before/after that long haul flight, wanting to do a little historic sightseeing and have a gorgeous spa experience. There is an excellent Treatment Finder on their website to suit individual needs.
Depending on the package you choose prices are from £160 per night based on two people sharing a room, inclusive of VAT and service.
There are plenty of good value offers to choose from.
For further information or to make a booking call the spa on 01784 220600 or visit www.therunnymede.co.uk
*The suite is named after Eleanor Aquitaine mother of King John, who signed the Magna Carta in the famous fields opposite the hotel
This feature also appears on the SpaWellBeing website
A Fish Spa – The Most Unusual Treatment in Town!
Hand therapy bar
I regularly meet up with five lifestyle journalists and a different spa experience really appealed. We had a choice of a hand or foot treatment at the second Aqua Sheko fish spa to open in London, in Frith Street, just off Shaftesbury Avenue.
When I mentioned my fish spa pedicure to my friends and colleagues I had a mixed response:
- Eek! I couldn’t possibly do it!
- Nothing would induce me to do that!
Having a 'treatment'
So what was it like? We all found it rather fun! After the initial trepidation of putting my feet in the tank of warm water when the fish flocked to my toes, I hardly felt the little Garra Rufa fish nibbling away and spent the 25 minute treatment watching them work hard, while I sipped herbal tea. The treatment ended with a wonderful foot massage that gave me a spring in my step!
Garra Rufa fish, a species of carp, inhabit Turkish hot springs where they naturally breed and feed. For years people with psoriasis and other skin disorders have visited the springs for the fish to painlessly nibble away the dead skin. By peeling away ordinary callouses and the thick lesions of psoriasis, the fish leave feet feeling softer and prettier.
This fish spa phenomenon has been taken up enthusiastically in the Far East where fish foot therapy is available in shopping malls and department stores.
There is of course the concern about transfer of skin infections. If your feet have any broken skin like Athlete’s Foot, or bruises, it is recommended you wait until they heal before having the treatment. At Aqua Sheko they have a UV water filter installed to destroy unwanted organisms.
Washing your feet just before the treatment is necessary which also ensures the removal of any skincare chemicals that might harm, or even kill, the fish.
At Aqua Sheko it’s possible to have a whole body treatment! This is something yet to be experienced … maybe a New Year treat.
All details on the Aqua Sheko website
Val Reynolds Brown, Editor
Johannesburg – Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa
Main entrance to the Saxon Hotel
Bowling along in an airconditioned minivan on a sunny afternoon following 10 hours on a plane was a relief. The clouds seemed bigger and sky bluer than I had seen for a long time. Unfamiliar flowers on the roadside and birds in the trees were intriguing and exciting.
Given the opportunity to experience treatments on offer in some spa hotels in South Africa we were looking forward to a period of relaxed living in five star surroundings. We were not disappointed.
Starting in Johannesburg, with its reputation for violence and unrest seemed a little unwise, but we didn’t see anything untoward, although we found the number to street traders converging on the car at traffic lights somewhat unnerving. Anyway we had to start somewhere and why not experience what is considered the best of the best, the Saxon Hotel in the Sandhurst section of the Santon area.
We faced a high security entry procedure with a high perimeter wall, a 24 hour guard and a sliding door so heavy it rumbled along its tracking into the wall itself. I felt a bomb would have trouble making an impression on it.
Black ibis on the lawns
The gate opened onto a six acre park with a meadering drive, past groups of grey ibis busily searching for insects in the grass – quite a broadleaved type of rye grass, different from our fine fescue rich mixes, arriving at a magnificent entrance. It was easy to see how the management could promise peace and security for their highly placed guests.
In the huge entrance hall with its stunning central light fitting to match were dozens of examples of African artefacts – wooden carvings, masks, even doors, which featured on walls, tables, and floors in all directions, and through to my bedroom, well suite actually, with its beautiful masks and carvings to gaze at.
I had a balcony with a table and chairs overlooking the park and trees, a pillared bed, beautiful bathroom with a fantastic bath – oh what a wonderful soak to be had after our eleven hour journey! I would have liked to stay in the suite for a couple of days just to enjoy the luxury of it all and try out some of other facilities. It had a table I could work on big enough for a meeting of six people, with internet access, a huge television, round sound hifi system, lots of sofas and, luxury of luxury, a master pad at the door and by the bed to switch all lights and devices off in one fell swoop, or choose any combination you want. You can see images on the website.
Pool area
Saxon hotel is ideal for travellers of all kinds wanting the opportunity to relax and restore their energy. There is plenty to choose from including swimming pools and lounging areas in the most beautiful surroundings, an excellent spa centre, as well as a fitness centre.
I chose the unique sound therapy in the hotel spa, where tibetan bowls and gongs were all around the room. Whilst I lay on a water bed, bowls were placed on my chakra points, then gently tapped, the sound resonating through my body. I fell into a dream state going to a far away place while other bowls and gongs were softly sounded continuously. I really resented coming back into the here and now at the end of the session!
I’m unsure whether this could be considered an authentic African therapy, but then remembering the recent rapid development of spa centres of all kinds in South Africa it’s only to be expected that many treatments on offer are strongly influenced by others from around world. The 60 minute treatment was R690 (approx £49). You will find more details on the website that includes the spa brochure.
Spa with sound therapy treatment
Saxon was originally a private home and it was there Mandela stayed when writing his book A Long Walk To Freedom. The site was later transformed into the luxury conference venue and hotel it is today.
Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton have been notable visitors. I can see why Saxon says captains of industry, heads of state and even royalty can be offered a quality of service beyond reproach and with international chefs providing fantastic tasting food, beautifully crafted, there is everything here to enjoy and relax into.
Lunch was beautifully presented and cooked, if rather long in delivery. The dessert was especially good, a soft layered meringue with a cheesecake-like base. When faced with a beautifully laid out table with cutlery and glass to die for, my anticipation of an excellent meal is heightened. We were not disappointed, it was stunning.
It is possible to experience the hotel’s spa as a day visitor. If you happen to be in Jo’burg with a day or so to spare do consider a visit – whatever you decide it will be a memorable occasion.
We flew from London Heathrow to Johannesburg with South African Airways www.flysaa.com 0870 747 1111 Flights LHR to JNB approximately £700 return, including taxes
South African Tourism, www.southafrica.net Information/Brochure Line: 0870 1550044
Saxon Boutique Hotel and Spa 36 Saxon Road Sandhurst Johannesburg www.thesaxon.com Tel: 00 27 11 292 6000 Voted the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel for the last six consecutive years
The Saxon is an all-suite hotel – we each had an Egoli suite R 5,400 per room per night (approx £385) Presidential Suite R11,300 per room per night (approx £810) Platinum Suite R21,000 per room per night (approx £1,500) Rates include breakfast and use of the hydro facilities at the spa.
Editorial and Photography Val Reynolds Brown August 2008
Zimbali Coastal Resort, Durban SA
Fabulous plants at Zimbali
Descending a steep hill we could see and smell the sea! How exciting after a period in the bush and veldt.
What might be called a coombe in Gloucestershire, this massive 700 hectare valley leading down to the sea was a forest of plants, both planted and indigenous, and so extensive that guests at the top used golf buggies to get to the beach, and those on the beach definitely needed the buggies to get their lunch!
It was a sumptous setting for a golf resort where you can buy property overlooking the golf course and with views of the sea. It was a real knock out and the hotel interior was fabulous.
We had arrived for a spa treatment with lunch to followand we were delighted to have the opportunity to experience such wonderful facilities which, when we enquired, are not that expensive. A week with a golfing partner could be achieved within a modest budget, remembering the UK pound is very strong at the moment.
Clubhouse interior
The spa centre offers an extensive treatments list, many of a decent length, that is an hour or more – the ancient Bali ritual, given to princesses for 40 days prior to their wedding day, takes two hours! As our time at Zimbali was limited by our need to get to Durban airport within a few hours our choice of luxury timeconsuming treatments was limited. However we did manage a full body bamboo massage of an hour. Traditionally used by various African groups, including the Tswana it has only recently been added to the Zimbali list. I only wish we had had a few more days to enjoy yet more luxury, traditional treatments.
Our lunch was memorable, we ate at a table overlooking the forest and the sea beyond. Good food, good wine and a merry group is a great recipe for happiness! Pity we had to up sticks and rush off to the airport to catch our plane en route for Jo’burg and home. Ah well, another time perhaps, it was that good.
August 2008
Val Reynolds Brown, Editor
In Balance 